Educational appliance.



Patented Apr. 3, B969.,

2 Shams-Sheet i (Ho Model.)

No. $46,651. PatepmApr. s, |900."

H. ames-rem. EDUCTDNAL APPUNCE.

f (Application med my 15, 1897.)

(No Modal.) Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2:

Jiffy# ras Nrrnn STATES 'PATENT einen.

EcucATioNAL APPLIANcE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,661, dated April 3, 1900. v Application filed July 15, 1897. Serial No. 644,609. (No model.)

To all whom it-may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERMANN HANSTEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing. at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Educational Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to educational appliances, and has for its object to provide a new and improved model or object to be used lin schools or other places where instruction is given. v My invention is illustrated in the accompa- Dying-drawings, wherein- `ELgurel is a perspective View of a gure embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of one of the corner-pieces. Fig.

3 is a view of the corner piece as seen' from within the figure. Fig. 4j shows a different form of figure-having the saniecorner-pieces "as shown in Fig. l. Fig. ''shows a figure o f a dierent species. Like letters-refer to like paris throughout the several ligures. i

My invention is particularly adapted for Vuse in instruction in schools or'tle like Where the use of a model will be bene cialfor example, in drawing or in explaining the characteristic features of gu es of all descriptions, particularly those ha ing three dimensions. When the device-is used in connection with drawing, the pupil can have accurately presented to his eye any fig-ure or body of three dimensionswhich he desires to repro- .duce upon a plain surface. He then receives the impression upon the retina of the thing or Aligure he is drawing, and hence will be free from the confusion and indefiniten'ess produced when beha-s, to guide him, only the representation upon a plain surface of the thing he is endeavoring to draw.

InFig. l I have shown the outlines of aoube embodying iny invention. This figure consists of the corner-pieces A, made of any material, preferably metal. In this construction the cornerfpieces have three branches and are removably connected together by means of the pieces B. These pieces B may be made of any material, being preferably made of wood; but of course any other material may be used, if desired. If made of metal, they are preferably made hollow.

whichv may ,be attached cords or the like which are used torepresent. the diagonale and the like of the figure, as indicated. I may represent a solid figure by connecting to the corner-pieces the thin plates or side pieces D.

l These pieces may be of any material-for example, pasteboard. These pieces are connected to the corner-pieces by means of the screws D', which enter the.openi l 1gQLD?V 'Ithave 'illustrated in Figa/t a rectangular figure of a diiferent shape from that shown in Fig. 1,5the same corner-pieces being used. 'Y i In Fig. 5 I have shown a figure which is tri` angularincross-section. Theonlydifterence between the corner-piecei of this'ligure'and the'corner-pieces of the rectangular figure is the dilference in the angular relation of the branches of such corner-pieces.

It will be seen that I can formany ligure desired and that when the corner-pieces for such figure are made the dimensions of the gure can be varied at will' by varying the length of the pieces B. Instead of providing the corner-pieces with openings for. the con-- necting-pieces I may provide the connectingpieces B- with the openings and have the branches of the corner-pieces enter such openings.

I have described these several parts in detail, so as to more clearly set forth my invention; but it is of course evident that the construction may be vvaried without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I there- I fore do not wish to be limited to the construction shown. l

The use and operation of my invention are as follows: In making-up any desired figure danger of breakage, and they` also occupy,

very little space. Y' When it is desired to use the ligure, the parts can be easily and quickly roo4 put together, so as to form the skeleton figure, which can be used for the purpose desired. Each sot of corner-pieces may be provided with a series of connecting-pieces of different lengths, so that a variety of Iigures of ditierent shapes or sizes may be produced by the use of the same corner-pieces. This ligure when puttogetheris verylightand is substantially rigid, so that it can be supported in any position-as, for cxamrc, upon one corner without being sprung or bent out of shape. The figure can be held in any desired position, so as to indicate to the pupils how the tigure when seen in that position should be represented upon a plain surface. When A these figures are not in use, they can be taken apart, and hence will occupy verylittle space and danger of breakage is avoided. XVhen the solid figure is desired, the skeleton figure can be covered by means of the thin plates or pieces D, and hence the same device Will represent both the solid figure and the skeleton figure.

It will be seen that materials for a variety of figures can be had at a very little cost when this construction is used and that any solid figure can he represented by making the cornenpicccs of the desired shape. In case the thin plates or pieces D become injured or soiled they can be easily and quickly replaced by new plates at a very little expense.

litany of the various applications of my invention readilysuggest themselves. For example, it may be used in connection with the study of descriptive geometry or stereotomy, thereby giving an optical demonstration to the pupil of the various figures, sections, and the like. It will be readily seen that many of the difficulties arising in these studies may be easilyand quickly removed by the use of my device, as it enables the pupil to be given an optical demonstration of things which have heretofore been lelt to the imagination.

Students are taught that lines have but one dimension-namely, lengthand hence the connecting-pieces B are made circular in crossscction and of substantially the same size, so that all of the lines bounding the figure will 'bcthe same thickness regardless of the direction from which they are seen. By forming hooks between the branches of the corner-pieces and uniting these hooks by cords or the like the cords tend to hold the parts together and also 'orm the diagonale ofthe figure. By this construction I em enabled to produce a complete figure lor all educational purposes.

I claim- 1. A ligure for educational purposes, coinprising removable corner-pieces each provided with a suitable number of projecting branches circular in cross-section, a series of connecting-pieces adapted to be removably connected with the corner pieces so as to form the outlines of a complete figure, a hook or engaging device associated with the several corner-pieces, a series of connectingpieces connecting 'said engagingv devices or hooks together and formingcfthe diagonals and the like of the figure, the' several parts so arranged as to form of themselves a complete figure adapted for exhibition purposes.

2. An educational device, comprising,r a series of corner-pieces provided with at least three branches each being slotted a portion of its length and having hooks attached at the junction of the branches, a series of conmeeting-pieces adapted to be removably connected with the branches of said corner-pieces, so as to forni the bounding-lines of the ligure, cords passing around said hooks and serving to hold the structure together, said cords also serving to define the diagonale of the figure.

3. A figure for educational purposes, comprisin g removable integral corner-pieces, each provided with a suitable number of projecting branches circular in cross-section and all of substantially the same diameter, said branches each provided with a circular opening extending part of the length thereof, a series of connecting-pieces also circular in cross-section and removably connected with said corner-pieces by being inserted in the circular openings therein, said connectingpieces and corner-pieces assembled in a unitary structure so as to form of themselves thc f complete bounding-lines of a complete ligure for exhibition purposessaid connecting-pieces all substantially of the same diameter so that allthe bounding-lines of the figure will have the same thickness when the figure is held before the students in various positions, substantially as described.

HERMANN HANS'IEI.

Witnesses DONALD M. CARTER, lloMER L. KRAFT.

IOC 

